Dispensing-bottle closure



W. F. ELLIS AND A. J. GARLAND DISPENSING BO'TTL-E CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I3, 1920.

1,377,568. Patented May 10,1921.

UNITED STATES GARLAND, OF ASSIGNORS TO THE STANDARD MANUFAC- RYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

DISPENSING-BOTTLE CLOSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May 10, 1921.

Application filed May 13, 1920. Serial No. 381,009.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, WILLIAM F. ELLI and ARLINGTON J. GARLAND, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, and Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensing-Bottle Closures, and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to dispensing bottle closures of the type wherein a plurality of tubes or passages is employed, one of said passages being adapted to admit air to the bottle as the liquid flows out through the other passage, thus promoting uniformity of pouring of the liquid. The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient closure which is adapted to compensate for differences in the size of cork stoppers and variations in the size of necks of bottles.

As is well known, cork stoppers are graded according to size, the several sizes being designated by different numbers. While corks of a given number are supposed to be ofthe same size they in fact vary somewhat in length and in diameter. Moreover, the interior diameters of the necks of bottles in tended to be ofuniform design and capacity also vary considerably, with the result that a bottle closure involving the use of a cork cannot be made to have a uniform appearance when applied, as some of the closures often vproject much farther than others above the tops'of the bottles When a number of such bottles are placed side by side upon a shelf they make an unattractive display because the portion of the closure visible above the top of the bottle is seldom the same in any two cases. By our invention we secure the desirable uniformity of appearance, as well as certain other substantial advantages which will hereinafter apear.

p In the drawings illustrating the invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims,-

Figure l is a vertical central section of a bottle closure embodying our invention, the upper part of the tubular portion thereof being in elevation and the upper end of a ottle-to which the closure is applied also being shown.

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section of the tubular portion and attached apron of the closure. r

' Fig. 3 is a plan view of the closure as it appears when the cap is removed to allow liquid to be poured from the bottle. In the drawings, 1 indicates a bottle havmg a neck 2 which terminates above, at the mouth of the bottle, in the usual flange or flaring 11p. The closure is provided with a tubular portion having two passages one of which, 3, admits air to the bottle and the other of which, 4-, permits the liquid to flow therefrom. The air passage 3, which is somewhat smaller than the passage for the liquid and which extends farther into the bottle, is preferably formed as a tube 5 that is encircled by the tube 6 forming the passage 4 for the liquid. The tubes 5- and 6 are rigidly united either by molding them in one piece or by soldering them together.

symmetrically encircling the tubular portion of the closure and mounted upon the outer pipe 6 adjacent the upper end thereof is a hood or apron 7 which is preferably detachably adjustably connected to the tube 6. This may be simply effected by providing the apron with a centrally disposed opening allowing it'to be screwed upon the threaded upper end 8 of the tube 6, said thread portion 8 being also adapted to receive a screw cap 9 for closing the outer ends of the air and liquid passages, 3 and 4., respectively. The inner side of the apron 7 is cupped or of concave form, so that when its outer or peripheral margin is in con-' tact with the flaring lip at the outer end of the neck 2 of the bottle, a space 10, adapted to receive the upper end of the cork or compressible plug 11, is provided above the up per end of the bottle. If desired this space may be availed of to contain sealing or cementing material, such as sealing wax. Closely encircling the outer pipe 6 of the tubular portion of the closure and fitting into the neck of the bottle, is a tubular plug 1 of compressible material, such as cork. When the bottle has been filled with liquid thecompressible plug 11 is inserted in the neck 2 of the bottle and pressed down until it fits tightly therein. Glue or cementing N1 OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. ELLIS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AND ARLINGTON 3'.

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, TUBING COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MA

material is then applied to the outer surface of the tube 6 and the latter, carrying the .apron 7, is entered in the centrally disposed hole in the plug 11, after which the tube is pushed downwardly through the plug until the outer edge of the apron 7 engages the flaring lip at the mouth of the bottle, the cupped or concave form of the apron allowing for considerable latitude in the projection of the cork above the upper end of the bottle without preventing the edge of the apron from engaging the bottle. By this means we are enabled to provide a bottle closure imparting to the bottle a uniform appearance for each size without regard to the extent of upward projection of the cork.

The hood or apron 7 is preferably formed or" a pliable metal and may be comparatively thin so that it can readily be shaped with a die or other suitable means. By so forming the apron 7 it is possible within reasonable limits to reduce the stoerr of closure devices necessary to be provided for different sizes of bottles, since the apron can have its relation to tube 6 adjusted so as to be expanded or contracted somewhat to suit the diameter of the type or size of the flaring lip at the mouth of bottle to which the closures are applied. Where an apron of given size cannot be sutliciently expanded or contracted to meet requirements, one of larger or smaller diameter, as the case may demand, may readilybe substituted, the tubular portion of the closure being, of course, capable of use with an apron of any desired diameter.

e claim:

7 1. A bottle closure provided with tubular means having a passage for the admission of air and a passage permitting the flow of. liquid from the bottle, a pliable cupped apron surrounding said tubular means, said apron being adjustable longitudinally of said tubular means, the periphery of said apron being adapted to engage the flaring lip at the mouth of the bottle, means for closing the passages of said tubular means, and a compressible plug encircling said tubular means on the cupped sid of said apron.

2. A bottle closure provided with tubular means having a passage for the admission of air and a passage permitting the flow of liquid from the bottle, a compressible plug encircling said tubular means, and a pliable apron surrounding said tubular means and said apron being adjustably attached thereto, the periphery of said apron being adapted to engage the flaring lip at the mouth of the bottle and said apron being cupped on its inner side and thereby adapted to receive a portion of said compressible plug projecting above the end of the said neck.

3. In a closure and pouring attachment for bottles, the combination with a plurality of tubes one located within the other, of an encircling compressible plug, and a concave pliable apron mounted on the tubes, said apron being longitudinally adjustable on said tubes and being spaced above and projecting beyond the plug which encircles the tubes.

4. In a closure and pouring attachment for bottles, the combination of a tube which is exteriorly threaded at its upper end, of a con'ipressible plug encircling said tube, a concave pliable apron threaded on the said threaded end of said tube, said apron being adjustable longitudinally of the tube and having a peripheral margin adapted to engage the fiaring lip at the mouth of the bottle, and a closure for said tube threaded on said threaded end of said tube, said apron being spaced above and projecting beyond said compressible plug.

In testimony whereof we alfix our signatures.

WILLIAM F. ELLIS. ARLINGTON J. GARLAND. 

